1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solenoid valve for controlling a flow amount of fluid.
2. Description of Related Art
The above type of a solenoid valve includes a valve portion and a solenoid portion. The valve portion includes a valve element that is slidably received in a tubular valve body, and a position of the valve element is controlled by a balance between an electromagnetic force and a spring force for opening and closing a flow channel. The solenoid portion drives the valve element by generating the electromagnetic force. The valve body of the valve portion is received in the solenoid portion, and a component of the solenoid portion is crimped such that the valve portion and the solenoid portion are integrated (see, for example, JP-A-2002-39420 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,166, JP-A-2003-106471 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,374).
However, in the above conventional solenoid valve, when the component of the solenoid portion is crimped, a load in a radial direction is applied to the valve body. As a result, a slide part of the valve body, which slide part slides with the valve element, may be deformed, and thereby the valve element may abnormally contact the slide part of the valve body disadvantageously. Also, the slide failure of the valve element may occur disadvantageously.
Alternatively, the valve body may be press fitted into the component of the solenoid portion to integrate the valve portion with the solenoid portion. However, in the above alternative case, the load in the radial direction is also applied to the valve body, and thereby the disadvantages similar to the above may occur.